THE GRLA'I THICK-SKINNED ANIMALS 187 



shapes, afford ample protection from any enemy who may attempt to 

 attack him from behind; and then, backing himself against this natural 

 fortress, he awaits the onset of his foes. His assailants do not tarry 

 long, and soon the foremost arrive, and prepare to rush upon their 

 formidable-looking prey. Encircling his refuge, they avoid the dan- 

 gerous teeth, and try to seize him from behind ; but the favoring roots 

 are too thickly grown, and all their efforts are unavailing to reach 

 him. Angered at being so foiled, several of them rush on him at once, 

 hoping to distract his attention by numbers, but the massive head is 

 quickly turned to either side, and the nearest wolf is hurled helpless to 

 the ground, bleeding from several fearful gashes, while the remainder 

 recoil to a safer distance to gnash their teeth with impotent rage. The 

 grim inhabitant of the jungle, in the meanwhile, his small, wicked- 

 looking eyes glancing fire, and the blood and froth falling from his 

 open mouth, with his short tail curled tightly over his back, secure in 

 his post of vantage, grunts aloud his defiance. The cries of the dis- 

 comfited wolves bring others to their aid, and over the moonlit snow 

 the shadowy forms of many loping creatures are seen advancing to 

 help their 'brethren. Soon the fight will become more desperate and 

 furious. Urged on by long-experienced hunger, the wolves will forget 

 the danger in their desire to secure the prey, and, encouraged by 

 numbers, will assail the boar on every side. He will not be idle, but. 

 impelled by the great strength of his neck, the tusk will be used 

 mercilessly, and the prostrate bodies of his foes will lie around and 

 before him, crimsoning the snow with their life-blood as it streams 

 from many a gaping wound, while the cries of the combatants arouse 

 the sleeping echoes of the wood. At length, dismayed and discomfited 

 by his valiant defense, the few survivors among his assailants will 

 gradually slink away, leaving him to emerge from his secure position, 

 2 victor in this desperate conflict at close quarters. 



In saying farewell to the pachyderm family here, it is proper to 

 explain that the animals coming under this classification are hoofed 

 quadrupeds or four-footed animals which do not chew the cud. In 

 fact, the pachyderms are the first class we have come to which live 

 almost entirely upon vegetation. 



We come now to anothei family which lives on vegetation, and, 



